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12-04-2018 05:01 PM
11:00 a.m. weekdays-- MeTV must really like this amusing detective series, since they have recently run through all eight seasons, and today started the whole thing over again!
It has some of the qualities of "The Rockford Files", which may explain Me TV's attachment to it-- that is, it has a warm, immensely likeable and talented star, in this case D i c k van D y k e. The first episode today was chock full of familiar faces, including Robert Guillaume as a duplicitous priest, and legendary early film star, Sylvia Sidney, as an old charmer with cognitive and memory issues.
Anyway, if you are interested in watching from the first few episodes as it develops, you can set your DVR. I was surprised to read that at first it was based in Denver, and then without explanation, "Dr. Mark Sloan" and crew were all living in Los Angeles! Other changes included the eventual departure of Scott Baio, as a doctor who dated the doctor played by Victoria Rowell, and the leave-taking of the guy who played the fussy hospital administrator. The later addition of Charlie Schlatter as a resident restored the "young hunk" quotient..
I didn't watch it in the Nineties so have only picked up nuggets about it here and there, on its last go-round...
12-04-2018 06:46 PM
Sometimes I'm afraid they will pull the series after all episodes are shown.
12-04-2018 07:06 PM
Yeah, they did do that with "Rockford", @AuntG. Didn't they show several complete cycles of the series before taking it off the air? But it is so popular, and James Garner so adored, that I'm sure they'll bring it back at some point.
Same with "Diagnosis Murder", I expect...
12-04-2018 07:23 PM
I watched Diagnosis Murder when it was originally on and alway enjoyed it. I try to watch it on ME in the morning. DVD was so good in the role.
12-04-2018 08:21 PM - edited 12-04-2018 08:24 PM
Oh, I love this show. I rented all the DVDs a few years back.
I seem to recall (it's been a while) that the move to LA was made after someone set fire to Dr. Sloane's kitchen. I'm not sure what else might have been involved.
And, @Oznell, here's some trivia: That gorgeous Malibu beach house lived in by Sloane and his hunky (real-life) son is the same house used by the series Hannah Montana (Miley Cyrus).
p.s. And since you like interior design, watch for the dinner party scene in Dr. Amanda Bentley's condo. I couldn't find an online picture, but there were some lovely touches there. Sorry, but I don't recall in which season that took place.
12-04-2018 08:32 PM
Wow, trust you to have such interesting info on that, @GingerPeach. Add me to your club of hankerers after that beach house, sigh. Our numbers are legion...
As much as I like Denver, I think L.A. was the best place for the show-- if only so he could live in Malibu, ha. I read that they originally picked Denver for production b/c the Perry Mason made for TV films were based there. But then when Raymond Burr unfortunately had his final illness, all the production people went back to California, taking the "Diagnosis: Murder" show with it...
Don't you like the way he used so many family members and old associates in the show? That seems so like D. v. D., doesn't it? I really like Barry too-- I always think the temporary love interests that they have him get involved with, usually disastrously, are never good enough for him...
12-05-2018 10:48 AM - edited 12-05-2018 10:48 AM
That house has been in more than one series and more than one movie. Toward the end, last two seasons everyone in the story, every week, looked like each other - so many of the van ****** family on each program it was a little weird. Barry looked better until he started coloring his hair weird and differing colors. They are also showing this series on COZI TV; Rockford too.
12-05-2018 11:15 AM
That Malibu beach house is ( and I'm sure for many others too) my all time favorite house.
I love that show too and of course ****** and Barry Van ******.
I've often tried to find that house on Google but could only find similar on the same street.
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